IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carla L. Firestone, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Communications Director
Mobile: 419-260-9981 -- Office: 419-243-8251

FAA DISASTER DRILL AT TOLEDO EXPRESS

(view map)

WED., APRIL 22 – 6 P.M.

MEDIA CREDENTIALS AND ID ARE REQUIRED FOR ACCESS
Who: Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority/Toledo Express Airport Police and Fire Division
What: Federal Aviation Administration Full-Scale Emergency Response Disaster Drill
When: Wed., April 22, 2009 at 6 p.m.
Where: Toledo Express Airport

MEDIA ENTRANCE – DO NOT go the to the airport terminal. Enter on Airport Highway via Gate 4. See attached map for clarification.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires airports to perform a full-scale disaster drill exercise under Part 139 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The drill is conducted to serve as a training evaluation technique for all responding agencies to maximize safety in the event of an emergency at Toledo Express Airport.

This requirement to test airport/airfield emergency response is mandated by the FAA and is a condition precedent to U.S. airports' operating certification by FAA standards. Each certificate holder must coordinate its emergency plan with local law enforcement agencies, rescue and firefighting agencies, medical personnel and hospital organizations, principal airport tenants, and all other entities that have responsibility under the plan every three years. Tabletop exercises are conducted annually to ensure that all information, procedures and training are current. More than 11 agencies will participate.

"Our first priority at Toledo Express Airport is always safety,” says Paul Toth, Interim Airports Director, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “We partner with and depend on many agencies to ensure our airfield is safe and a coordinated effort is mandatory to our success. This training exercise is designed to identify any breaches in our preparedness and ensure our communication techniques are fine-tuned.”

A full briefing on the drill will be conducted at 5 p.m. in the maintenance building on the east side of the airport. Attendance is not mandatory for the media but access to the briefing location will be provided via Gate 4 for any interested media personnel. The drill will begin at approximately 6 p.m.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority’s business is transportation. That business is shaped by our mission to move people and cargo through the region while employing innovative finance programs to stimulate economic development. For more information, please visit www.toledoportauthority.org.